Straw Attachment Assembly

ABSTRACT

A straw attachment assembly for drinking remotely from a water bottle includes a fluid coupling is fluidly coupled to a water bottle. A hose is fluidly coupled to the fluid coupling to receive water from the water bottle. The fluid coupling is positionable in a fed condition having the water bottle being inverted. In this way the fluid coupling and the hose are each gravity fed with respect to the water in the water bottle. A valve unit is fluidly coupled to the hose. The valve unit is operated by a user&#39;s mouth to deliver the water from the water bottle into the user&#39;s mouth when the user operates the valve unit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS Statement Regarding Federally Sponsored Research or Development

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The disclosure and prior art relates to straw devices and more particularly pertains to a new straw device for drinking remotely from a water bottle.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a fluid coupling is fluidly coupled to a water bottle. A hose is fluidly coupled to the fluid coupling to receive water from the water bottle. The fluid coupling is positionable in a fed condition having the water bottle being inverted. In this way the fluid coupling and the hose are each gravity fed with respect to the water in the water bottle. A valve unit is fluidly coupled to the hose. The valve unit is operated by a user's mouth to deliver the water from the water bottle into the user's mouth when the user operates the valve unit.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a straw attachment assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3A is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3B is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a fluid coupling in a fed condition.

FIG. 4 is a perspective cut-away view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new straw device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the straw attachment assembly 10 generally comprises a fluid coupling 12 that is fluidly coupled to a water bottle 14. The fluid coupling 12 has a first end 16, a second end 18 and an outer wall 20 extending therebetween. The fluid coupling 12 is hollow and each of the first end 16 and the second end 18 is open. The outer wall 20 has a tubular shape between the first end 16 and the second end 18. Additionally, the outer wall 20 tapers inwardly between the first end 16 and the second end 18 such that the fluid coupling 12 has a funnel shape.

The outer wall 20 has an inside surface 22 and the inside surface 22 has a threaded portion 24 that is positioned adjacent to the second end 18. The threaded portion 24 threadably engages the water bottle 14 and the inside surface 22 of the outer wall 20 conforms to contours of a neck 26 of the water bottle 14. In this way the fluid coupling 12 forms a fluid impermeable seal with the water bottle 14. The water bottle 14 may be any commercially produced water bottle that has been purchased in a retail environment or the like.

A hose 28 is fluidly coupled to the fluid coupling 12 such that the hose 28 receives water from the water bottle 14. The hose 28 has a primary end 30 and a secondary end 32, and the primary end 30 is fluidly coupled to the second end 18 of the fluid coupling 12. The fluid coupling 12 is positionable in a fed condition having an axis extending through the first end 16 and the second end 18 of the fluid coupling 12 being vertically oriented. In this way the water bottle 14 is inverted such that the fluid coupling 12 and the hose 28 is each gravity fed with respect to the water in the water bottle 14. Additionally, the hose 28 is positioned into a J shape when the fluid coupling 12 is positioned in the fed condition. In this way the water bottle 14 and the fluid coupling 12 may be stored in a backpack or the like, while the hose 28 extends upwardly out of the backpack for drinking.

A valve unit 34 is fluidly coupled to the hose 28. The valve unit 34 may be operated by a user's mouth to deliver the water from the water bottle 14 into the user's mouth when the user operates the valve unit 34. In this way the user can remotely drink from the water bottle 14. The valve unit 34 comprises a mouthpiece 36 that has a first end 38, a second end 40 and a tunnel 42 extending through the first end 38 and the second end 40 of the mouthpiece 36. The first end 38 of the mouthpiece 36 is fluidly coupled to the secondary end 32 of the hose 28. In this way the mouthpiece 36 receives the water from the water bottle 14. The mouthpiece 36 may be comprised of a resiliently compressible material to inhibit damaging the user's teeth when the mouthpiece 36 is positioned in the user's mouth.

A valve 44 is positioned in the tunnel 42. The valve 44 is positionable in a closed condition to inhibit the water from passing through the mouthpiece 36. The valve 44 is positionable in an open condition to facilitate the water to pass through the mouthpiece 36. A lever 46 is rotatably coupled to the mouthpiece 36 and the lever 46 engages the valve 44. The lever 46 urges the valve 44 between the open condition and the closed condition when the lever 46 is manipulated.

In use, the fluid coupling 12 is threadably coupled to the water bottle 14 when the water bottle 14 is opened. The water bottle 14 is inverted thereby facilitating the water in the water bottle 14 to be gravity fed into the fluid coupling 12 and the hose 28. The water bottle 14 is stored in a backpack or the like and the hose 28 is routed to the user's mouth. In this way the user can drink the water in the water bottle 14 through the hose 28. The user positions the mouthpiece 36 in their mouth for drinking. Additionally, the lever 46 is manipulated to opening and closing the valve 44 in the mouthpiece 36.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements. 

I claim:
 1. A straw attachment assembly being configured to be fluidly coupled to a water bottle for remotely drinking water in the water bottle, said assembly comprising: a fluid coupling being fluidly coupled to a water bottle; a hose being fluidly coupled to said fluid coupling wherein said hose is configured to receive water from the water bottle, said fluid coupling being positionable in a fed condition having the water bottle being inverted wherein said fluid coupling and said hose is each configured to be gravity fed with respect to the water in the water bottle; and a valve unit being fluidly coupled to said hose, said valve unit being operated by a user's mouth wherein said valve unit is configured to deliver the water from the water bottle into the user's mouth when the user operates said valve unit.
 2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said fluid coupling has a first end, a second end and an outer wall extending therebetween, said fluid coupling being hollow, each of said first end and said second end being open, said outer wall having a tubular shape between said first end and said second end, said outer wall tapering inwardly between said first end and said second end such that said fluid coupling has a funnel shape.
 3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein said outer wall has an inside surface, said inside surface having a threaded portion being positioned adjacent to said second end, said threaded portion threadably engaging the water bottle having said inside surface of said outer wall conforming to contours of a neck of the water bottle wherein said fluid coupling is configured to form a fluid impermeable seal with the water bottle.
 4. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein an axis extending through said first end and said second end of said fluid coupling is vertically oriented when said fluid coupling is positioned in said fed condition.
 5. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein said hose has a primary end and a secondary end, said primary end being fluidly coupled to said second end of said fluid coupling.
 6. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein said valve unit comprises a mouthpiece having a first end, a second end and tunnel extending through said first end and said second end, said first end being fluidly coupled to said secondary end of said hose wherein said mouthpiece is configured to receive the water from the water bottle.
 7. The assembly according to claim 6, further comprising a valve being positioned in said tunnel, said valve being positionable in a closed condition wherein said valve is configured to inhibit the water from passing through said mouthpiece, said valve being positionable in an open condition wherein said valve is configured to facilitate the water to pass through said mouthpiece.
 8. The assembly according to claim 7, further comprising a lever being rotatably coupled to said mouthpiece, said lever engaging said valve, said lever urging said valve between said open condition and said closed condition when said lever is manipulated.
 9. A straw attachment assembly being configured to be fluidly coupled to a water bottle for remotely drinking water in the water bottle, said assembly comprising: a fluid coupling being fluidly coupled to a water bottle, said fluid coupling having a first end, a second end and an outer wall extending therebetween, said fluid coupling being hollow, each of said first end and said second end being open, said outer wall having a tubular shape between said first end and said second end, said outer wall tapering inwardly between said first end and said second end such that said fluid coupling has a funnel shape, said outer wall having an inside surface, said inside surface having a threaded portion being positioned adjacent to said second end, said threaded portion threadably engaging the water bottle having said inside surface of said outer wall conforming to contours of a neck of the water bottle wherein said fluid coupling is configured to form a fluid impermeable seal with the water bottle; a hose being fluidly coupled to said fluid coupling wherein said hose is configured to receive water from the water bottle, said hose having a primary end and a secondary end, said primary end being fluidly coupled to said second end of said fluid coupling, said fluid coupling being positionable in a fed condition having an axis extending through said first end and said second end of said fluid coupling being vertically oriented such that the water bottle is inverted wherein said fluid coupling and said hose is each configured to be gravity fed with respect to the water in the water bottle; and a valve unit being fluidly coupled to said hose, said valve unit being operated by a user's mouth wherein said valve unit is configured to deliver the water from the water bottle into the user's mouth when the user operates said valve unit, said valve unit comprising: a mouthpiece having a first end, a second end and tunnel extending through said first end and said second end, said first end being fluidly coupled to said secondary end of said hose wherein said mouthpiece is configured to receive the water from the water bottle; a valve being positioned in said tunnel, said valve being positionable in a closed condition wherein said valve is configured to inhibit the water from passing through said mouthpiece, said valve being positionable in an open condition wherein said valve is configured to facilitate the water to pass through said mouthpiece; and a lever being rotatably coupled to said mouthpiece, said lever engaging said valve, said lever urging said valve between said open condition and said closed condition when said lever is manipulated. 